The Zone doesn't care if you're a hero. It doesn't care if you've got a heart of gold or a debt to Sidorovich. It only cares about whether your rifle jams when a Bloodsucker is mid-lunge. In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, the weapon system is a brutal teacher. You’ll find yourself desperately clutching a rusty PTM pistol, praying the last three rounds of 9x18mm are enough to stop a pack of Blind Dogs.
Basically, if you’re looking for a "power fantasy," you’re in the wrong place. This game is about survival, and your gear is your only lifeline.
The Reality of Stalker 2 All Guns
Let’s be real: most people think "all guns" means a list of thirty identical assault rifles. It’s not. In the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, a gun isn't just its model number; it's its history, its wear, and the specific modifications you’ve scavenged for it. You’ll see familiar faces like the AKM-74S and the Viper-5, but the way they behave is lightyears beyond the original trilogy.
The ballistics are heavy. You’ll feel the weight of a SPSA-14 shotgun in the way Skif’s camera sways. You'll notice the distinct "click" of a jammed AR416 when you’ve been too cheap to visit a technician.
The Starter Kits: What You'll Actually Use
Most of your early hours will be spent with "trash" tier weapons. But honestly, even the trash is lethal if you know where to aim.
- PTM (Makarov PM): It’s the quintessential Stalker starting pistol. Low damage, decent handling. Use it for finishing off wounded mutants so you don't waste the "good" ammo.
- AKM-74U: Compact, loud, and kicks like a mule. It’s great for tight spaces but don't expect to hit anything past fifty meters without a prayer.
- Viper-5: This SMG is a godsend in the early game. It uses 9x19mm ammo, which is everywhere. It’s the "budget" king.
Moving Up to the Heavy Hitters
Once you venture past the Lesser Zone, the stakes change. You start seeing the "Western" gear and the heavy-duty Warsaw Pact hardware.
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The Fora-221 (based on the Tavor) is a personal favorite for many. It’s a bullpup, so it’s compact but packs a punch. Then there’s the GP37, which is basically the G36. It’s a laser beam at medium range. If you find one of these, protect it with your life. Repair costs for high-tier Western gear will bankrupt you faster than a bad night at the 100 Rads Bar.
The Hidden Power of Unique Variants
This is where the Stalker 2 all guns hunt gets interesting. There are unique, named versions of standard weapons hidden throughout the Zone. These aren't just "skins." They have tweaked stats, pre-installed upgrades, or sometimes completely different ammo types.
Valik Lummox's AKM-74S is often the first unique gun players find. You get it near Zalissya. It comes with a scope pre-attached, which is a massive advantage when you're still sporting a leather jacket and a hope.
Then you’ve got the Spitter, a modified Zubr-19. It’s got a muzzle brake that makes the recoil almost nonexistent. Or the Shah's Mate, a Viper-5 variant tucked away in a tunnel in the Garbage. Finding these is the difference between struggling and surviving.
The Most Coveted Uniques
- Lynx: A unique SVDM-2 sniper rifle. If you like popping heads from the next zip code, this is your holy grail.
- Sledgehammer: A custom SPSA-14 shotgun you win in the Rostok Arena. It deletes anything in front of it.
- The Whip: A unique SVU-MK S-3. It’s silenced, semi-auto, and terrifyingly efficient.
Why Maintenance is Your New Religion
You cannot ignore the durability bar. Period.
In most shooters, your gun stays 100% effective until it hits 0%. Not here. As your weapon's condition drops, its accuracy goes out the window. It starts jamming. In the middle of a firefight, a jam is a death sentence. You have to manually clear it, and that three-second animation feels like an eternity when a mutant is chewing on your leg.
The Technician's Fee
You need to visit guys like Lens in Zalissya or the techs in Rostok regularly.
Repairing a heavily damaged Dnipro assault rifle can cost upwards of 15,000 coupons.
It’s often smarter to swap to a "temporary" gun you looted off a dead Bandit while you save up the cash to fix your primary.
Pro Tip: Never let your favorite gun drop below 40% durability. Most traders won't even buy it from you at that point, and the repair costs become astronomical.
Customization: It’s Not Just for Show
The upgrade system is split into two parts: Attachments and Internal Upgrades.
Attachments can be swapped in the field. You can slap a silencer on your SA Lavina for a stealthy approach into a Monolith camp, then swap it for a muzzle brake when things go loud. Scopes, laser sights, and underbarrel grenade launchers (like the GP-25 Koster) follow the same rules.
Internal upgrades require a technician. We're talking about things like "rifling hardening" for better accuracy or "piston replacement" for a higher rate of fire. These are permanent and often present you with a choice—you can upgrade for reliability OR for performance, but rarely both.
Ammo Types: The Silent Killer
Choosing the right gun is only half the battle. If you're using FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) rounds against a guy in an Exoskeleton, you might as well be throwing pebbles.
- Armor Piercing (AP): Vital for late-game combat against Ward or Monolith soldiers. It wears your barrel down faster, though.
- Expansive/Hollow Point: Absolute garbage against armor, but it shreds mutants. Keep a magazine of this for when the dogs come barking.
- Slug vs. Buckshot: Use slugs for long-range shotgun snipes (yes, it's possible) and buckshot for clearing rooms.
Final Insights for the Aspiring Stalker
Don't get attached to your guns. The Zone is a gear-chewer. You might find a pristine Grom S-14, but if you can't find 9x39mm ammo for it, it’s just a heavy paperweight.
The best strategy is to carry two primaries: one for common ammo (5.45mm or 5.56mm) and one "problem solver" (a high-caliber sniper or a heavy shotgun). Keep your pistol as a "detector" companion.
If you want to survive the Chornobyl wastes, start by finding a reliable technician and learning the locations of the Journalist's Stashes. Those stashes often contain the high-end gear you need to bridge the gap between "victim" and "survivor."
Go to the Lesser Zone. Find Valik Lummox. Get that scoped AK. It’s the first real step toward not dying in the dirt.